DiploNews – Issue 324 – 17 May 2017

Decrypting the #WannaCry: ransomware cyber attack

On 12 May, ransomware WannaCry hit countries across the globe, including hospitals and government institutions. It is said to be the biggest ransomware outbreak detected so far. DiploFoundation and the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) are analysing the policy aspects and repercussions of the attack.

• Webinar this Thursday, 18 May, 11UTC: Experts from different fields will discuss the main technological, geopolitical, legal, and economic aspects of the ransomware. Learn more and register for the webinar.
• A space dedicated to WannaCry on the GIP Digital Watch observatory looks at the attack in detail and the technology behind it; the economic issues and the ransom that the perpetrators have generated; an interactive map showing the victims of the attack in each country; the responses to the attack, and more.
• Read Diplo director Dr Jovan Kurbalija’s interview on the subject in Les Temps (in French): Cyberattaques: «Les fournisseurs de logiciels devraient être tenus pour responsables».
• The cyber attack together with the global policy developments of the month will also be discussed during the next GIP briefing on 30 May. The monthly briefings are held on the last Tuesday of every month.

Upcoming online courses

New course: Negotiation Skills for Education Diplomacy

Education diplomacy uses diplomatic skills to build bridges across sectors, diverse actors, and borders to advance education. This practical, interactive online course equips participants with the skills to successfully prepare, undertake, and conclude negotiations in formal and informal settings with government and non-government actors alike. This new intereactive online course, starting 19 June 2017, is offered by the Center for Education Diplomacy (an initiative of the Association for Childhood Education International) in partnership with Diplo. Read more and apply by 29 May.

Summer courses on diplomacy and digital policy

Applications for our summer courses are now open. The following courses start on 31 July 2017:

• 21st Century Diplomacy
• Diplomatic Law: Privileges and Immunities
• Internet Technology and Policy: Challenges and Solutions
• Multilateral Diplomacy
   

Apply by 22 May for the University of Malta accredited courses and by 19 June for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses listed, or visit our courses webpage. Register now to reserve your place.

Owing to support from the Maltese government, partial scholarships are available for applicants from developing countries to attend upcoming Diplo online courses. These scholarships cover 30–70% of course fees and can be applied to most online courses in 2017.

For more information on any of our courses and on partial scholarships, contact admissions@diplomacy.edu. You can also sign up for our courses mailing list to be informed about upcoming courses.


Applications open for the 2018 Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy

Diplo is now accepting applications for the 2018 Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy, and the Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy with a specialisation in Internet Governance. These unique postgraduate programmes, offered in co-operation with the University of Malta, include a 10-day residential workshop in Malta followed by 16–20 months of online learning. Visit the Master in Contemporary Diplomacy webpage to read more. Scholarships covering 20–50% of the Postgraduate Diploma fee are available for applicants from small and developing states. The programme starts on 5 February 2018. The application deadline is 15 October 2017 for international applicants, and 15 November 2017 for Maltese applicants.

DiploFoundation at the 17th European Diplomatic Programme

Diplo will deliver the Training Directors’ Meeting programme, during the 17th European Diplomatic Programme – IV Module, in Malta, on 19 May. The fourth module, which runs on 17–19 May, includes a training programme for diplomats on various themes. Diplo’s programme for the informal Training Directors’ Meeting will focus on three areas: (a) online diplomatic training, (b) the use of social media in diplomacy, and (c) data diplomacy.

Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative 2017

The call for applications for this year’s Asia-Europe public diplomacy training initiative is now open. Please note that this call is open only to Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) member states, and that the priority will be given to candidates nominated by the MFAs.

The ‘Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative’ has been set up in 2013 by Diplo, the Asia-Europe Foundation, and the National Centre for Research on Europe – University of Canterbury, to help to promote and facilitate skills training for diplomats and civil society actors. The aim of the initiative is to improve public diplomacy efforts between the countries of the ASEM process.

The project brings together a panel of experts on public diplomacy and perceptions, who have developed training modules, sector specific course materials, and tool-kits. The materials form the basis for an 8-week online course and a 3-day face-to-face training module designed for early career diplomats and civil society actors invested in improving Asia-Europe relations.  To date, 204 participants split between 4 online courses and 3 face-to-face trainings attended the programme.

Blog series: reflections on data diplomacy

Last week, Diplo initiated a new blog series called ‘Reflections on Data Diplomacy’. Dr Kurbalija kicked off the series with his blog post on ‘The impact of (big) data on geopolitics, negotiations, and the diplomatic modus operandi’. Building on a recent article in the Economist which compared data to oil, he addresses issues such as data geopolitics and geo-economics, data as the centre of diplomatic negotiations, data as a new tool for diplomacy, and the need to prepare diplomats for the new data-driven era in diplomacy. The second blog in the series comes from Barbara Rosen Jacobson, who gives an overview of how to usefully combine data and diplomacy in her post on ‘Big data: the next accelerator for diplomacy’. She outlines three axis on which to map this new area of diplomacy: types of data, types of diplomatic activities, and obstacles to be overcome in order to capture the full potential of data. This week we will add two new blog posts to the series looking at big data and artificial intelligence and what we can learn from the business sector. Stay tuned and follow the blog for further updates. 

June Diplomacy WebDebate: A new bilateralism in a changing world

In connection with the International Forum on Diplomatic Training, Diplo organises a WebDebate on key issues in diplomacy on the first Tuesday of each month. Our June WebDebate, which will take place on June 6 at 11:00 UTC /13:00 CEST, will focus on ‘A new bilateralism in a changing world’. Our distinguished speaker is Ambassador Kishan S Rana and together, we will be addressing the following questions: Are we witnessing a rising bilateralism? What is the task of bilateral diplomacy in a changing world in which key challenges such as climate change, refugees, and disarmament remain global in scope? And most importantly, how can we prepare the next generation of diplomats to be effective in bilateral diplomacy and address these challenges? Register for our June WebDebate.

What’s been happening in Diplo’s blogsphere

In our blogsphere, two topics dominated the debate: public speaking and trust. In her blog, Jelena Ožegović shares her five lessons from a recent public speaking workshop organised by Diplo in Belgrade. Among other things, trainer Mary Murphy argued that being a non-native speaker can be a big advantage and reminded everyone that beyond transmitting facts, it is important to give the audience a reason to care.  In ‘The Internet and Trust’, Dr Kurbalija summarised his experience from moderating and participating in a panel discussion at the ETH Zurich. He talks about the ‘paradox of trust’ in digital technology, the trust capital Switzerland can build on for the digital economy, and the need for a new digital social contract. See also Dr Kurbalija’s piece in HuffPost: War and peace in the data era.